Eric Labanauskas

Affiliations: I serve as the Inside Sales Coordinator for Grand Trunk, a manufacturer of hammock camping and adventure travel gear. My love for hiking and camping led me down the trail to the outdoor gear industry, bridging professional strengths with personal passions. I value my strong technical knowledge and hands-on product familiarity not only as a sales tool, but as a personal commitment to making sure customers enjoy the experience as much as the gear itself.

As a teenager I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis. Comfort on the trail depends largely on two things: the [limited] amount of weight my back can handle, and how comfortably I'm able to sleep.

In short? When my back's happy, I'm happy.

Some folks would see living in a state like Illinois as a obstacle, given the limited number of backcountry options.

I saw it as a challenge.

Back in 2013, I set out to visit as many backpacker-friendly locations within my home state as possible. My hope is to compile my experiences and knowledge into some sort of resource I can give back to the outdoor community (most likely a blog that will make a debut in 2015).